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Senate OKs VA reform measure

The Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to approve a bill that would make it easier for veterans to receive government-subsidized medical care outside the Veterans Affairs medical system if the VA cannot provide timely service.

Senate OKs VA reform measure

The bill, sponsored by Sens. John McCain (left), R-Ariz., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., also gives the Veterans Affairs secretary the power to immediately fire poor-performing employees.(Photo: Associated Press)

Story Highlights

The Senate and the House have passed VA reform bills, which next need to be blended together.

The Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to pass a deal negotiated by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

The White House has signaled that it "strongly supports" the Senate bill that passed 93-3.

Congress moved closer Wednesday to sending legislation to President Barack Obama that would make it easier to fire senior VA bureaucrats and allow veterans facing long waits for medical appointments to seek treatment outside the troubled Veterans Affairs health system.

The White House signaled it "strongly supports" bipartisan legislation overwhelmingly passed by the Senate on Wednesday.

The package still must be blended with similar House-passed bills before it can proceed to Obama's desk, but lawmakers expect that to go smoothly, saying both chambers see an urgent need to address the national VA health-care crisis that emerged out of Phoenix. The House and Senate could wrap up work by the end of next week, Senate aides said.

"I would think that we would be able to reconcile it (the Senate bill) with the House bills pretty easily," said Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., one of the co-sponsors of the legislation introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. "What's next? There's still a lot that needs to be done in terms of accountability and process, but the most important part of this one is giving them some choice. This is a big deal."

The Senate voted 93-3 to pass the measure agreed to last week by Sanders, the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee's chairman, and McCain.

The action came hours after FBI Director James Comey confirmed to House members that the FBI's Phoenix office was participating in an ongoing review by the VA Office of Inspector General of the VA health-care system.

McCain, Flake and others on Capitol Hill have called for the Department of Justice to investigate alleged manipulation of VA patient wait-time records. A preliminary analysis by the VA determined the agency's medical centers manipulated or misrepresented patient scheduling for more than 57,000 veterans nationwide.

The scandal prompted the May 30 resignation of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki.

Obama appears inclined to sign the VA reform legislation, at least as passed by the Senate.

In a statement Wednesday, the White House said the Sanders-McCain bill "reinforces a number of the administration's efforts to address the challenges facing today's servicemembers, veterans and their families."

"Our Number 1 priority is getting veterans the care they've earned," the administration's statement said. "To do that, we need to make sure that the problems identified at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities get fixed. This is why the president immediately directed VA to investigate these issues. VA is taking a number of immediate actions to enhance timely access to care across the country, and will continue to do so."

The Sanders-McCain bill would allow veterans who live more than 40miles from the nearest VA medical center or who cannot get an appointment quickly at their local VA facility to use a Veterans Choice Card to receive care from the Medicare provider of their choice. They also could go to Federal Qualified Health Centers, Indian Health Centers or medical centers funded by the Department of Defense.

Under the measure, the VA secretary would also get the power to immediately fire poor-performing employees and the VA would get expedited authority to spend $500 million to hire more doctors and nurses to meet the growing demand for services.

"What our veterans deserve is to be able to get into the system in a timely manner and get quality care," Sanders said. "What this legislation does is move us forward strongly in that direction."

McCain said the bill empowers veterans with more flexibility to choose their health care while bringing more accountability to the scandal-plagued VA.

"This is an emergency," McCain said in a speech on the Senate floor. "If it's not an emergency that we have neglected the brave men and women who have served this country and protected our freedom, then I don't know what is. ...

It breaks Americans' hearts."

The House passed bills to make it easier for the VA secretary to fire poor-performing employees and to allow veterans to receive care from private medical centers. A joint House-Senate conference committee must work out a compromise bill to bring back to both chambers for a final vote.

"I think everybody across the aisle feels that it's a top priority," added Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz., who would have preferred to see more free-market remedies in the package.

The nationwide audit of 731 VA hospitals and clinics revealed that 57,000 veterans reported having waited more than 90 days for first appointments and that 64,000 more said they were unable to get appointments at all.

Thirteen percent of VA schedulers reported being told by supervisors to falsify appointment schedules to make patient wait times appear shorter, the report said.

The audit said the VA's goal for veterans to wait no more than 14 days for an appointment is "not attainable" because of a shortage of doctors and growing demand for services as young veterans seek care alongside aging Baby Boomers.